JR0579, no need to apologize.
I just know from experience thatthe two brand names get confused a lot.
thoughts_refracted, Nutro is basically an overpriced food for the ingredients that are used, and the Nutro Max line is their lowest level of quality.
I'll give you a short run down on the MAX Puppy specifically:
Main ingredients:
Chicken Meal - no problem, this is fine
Corn Gluten Meal - poor quality plant-based protein filler
Wheat Flour - feed-grade refined flour instead of whole grain, robbed of many nutrients
Poultry Fat - generic, which type(s) of poultry, and how much of what?
---You see that of the mentioned "Chicken, Lamb, and Rice" even really only one ingredient is present as a main ingredient!
Lesser ingredients:
Ground Rice - no problem
Rice Bran - a rice fraction, listed separately from rice because all together it would push it up higher on the ingredient list
Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed) - not problematic in small amounts, but here it's used as a filler
Whole Wheat - no problem
Lamb Meal - no problem, but low on the ingredient list for a meat ingredient, only #9!
Natural Flavors - what flavors? Not disclosed...
Potassium Chloride - no problem
Brewers Dried Yeast - no problem
Lecithin - no problem
Choline Chloride - no problem
Dried Buttermilk - no problem
Dried Egg Product - no problem, but low on the ingredient list
Dried Kelp (source of Iodine) - no problem
Magnesium Oxide - oxides are cheap, poorly absorbed feed grade supplements
Vitamin E Supplement
Iron Sulfate - most sulfates are cheap, poorly absorbed feed grade supplements
Biotin - no problem
Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C) - no problem
Iron Oxide - oxides are cheap, poorly absorbed feed grade supplements (iron oxide = rust)
Zinc Oxide - oxides are cheap, poorly absorbed feed grade supplements
Manganous Oxide - oxides are cheap, poorly absorbed feed grade supplements
Niacin - no problem
Calcium Pantothenate - no problem
Vitamin B12 Supplement - no problem
Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2) - no problem
Vitamin A Supplement - no problem
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6) - no problem
Sodium Selenite - no problem
Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1) - no problem
Vitamin D3 Supplement - no problem
Copper Oxide - oxides are cheap, poorly absorbed feed grade supplements
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity) - see
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=menadione
Calcium Iodate - no problem
Folic Acid - no problem